Tappan Zee Bridge Project Making Strides, On Track For 2018 Opening

Crews work on the new Tappan Zee Bridge day and night in anticipation of a 2018 opening.Photo Credit: Skip PearlmanThe NYC skyline can be seen from the TZ bridge project.Photo Credit: Skip PearlmanCrews work on the new Tappan Zee Bridge day and night in anticipation of a 2018 opening.Photo Credit: Skip PearlmanCrews work on the new Tappan Zee Bridge day and night in anticipation of a 2018 opening.Photo Credit: Skip PearlmanCrews work on the new Tappan Zee Bridge day and night in anticipation of a 2018 opening.Photo Credit: Skip PearlmanCrews work on the new Tappan Zee Bridge day and night in anticipation of a 2018 opening.Photo Credit: Skip Pearlman

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WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. - Construction on the new Tappan Zee Bridge continues to move along, with Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently announcing another milestone, with the topping off of the eight main span towers.

The new bridge is on track to open in 2018 (with the completion of the westbound span expected in 2017), with 90% of the support structures installed. To date, 3,000 roadway panels have been installed to connect the Rockland and Westchester shorelines up to the iconic main span, taking one of the largest active bridge projects in the nation one step closer to completion.

The Tappan Zee Bridge project is one of the biggest active bridge projects in the nation and the largest in the history of the New York State Thruway Authority.

In all, more than 6,300 people have contributed to the New NY Bridge project thus far, totaling more than 8,000,000 hours of man power. At the Governor’s direction, the Thruway Authority has managed this project since 2013 with two fundamental objectives: to open the bridge in 2018, and finish the bridge at or below the budgeted cost of $3.98 billion.

The twin-span crossing will replace the six-decade-old Tappan Zee Bridge, which is used by an average of 140,000 vehicles every day. The 3.1-mile bridge will include eight general traffic lanes, four breakdown and emergency lanes, space for future bus rapid transit and commuter rail, a bicycle and walking path with six unique viewing areas, cashless tolling, and energy efficient LED lighting.

The state-of-the-art bridge will not require any major structural repairs for at least 100 years.